Characters (2011 South Korean Film)
Characters (Korean: 캐릭터; RR: Kaerikteo) is a 2011 South Korean independent film written and directed by Son Kwang-Ju. The film serves as a meta-commentary on the creative process and the commercial pressures within the South Korean film industry.
Plot
The story follows Lee Soo-Yeon, a former writer who now works as an assistant to Moh Jae-Won, a commercially successful film director known for producing formulaic, one-dimensional movies. As Moh Jae-Won demands increasingly "fresh" ideas, the professional relationship between the two becomes strained. Soo-Yeon harbors personal aspirations to write a novel and break free from the constraints of the commercial film world, though she faces societal dismissal of her creative ambitions.
Production
Characters was Son Kwang-Ju's first feature-length film. The director has stated that the screenplay was influenced by his own frustrations while attempting to secure funding for his projects. The production utilized various locations, including a villa previously used as a set for the television drama Winter Sonata, which the production was able to access through personal connections.
Release and Festivals
The film held its world premiere on January 31, 2011, at the International Film Festival Rotterdam as part of the "Bright Future" program. It was subsequently screened at the 12th Jeonju International Film Festival in the Korean Feature Films Competition and the 11th New Horizons International Film Festival. The film received a general theatrical release in South Korea on November 17, 2011.
Cast
- Kim Su-Hyeon as Lee Soo-Yeon
- Lee Hwan as Moh Jae-Won
- Ha-Min as Yoo Hye-Jin
- Hwang Eun-Su as Jang Ah-Kyung
- Min Kyung-Jin as the critic
- Lee Eung-Jae as Lee Soo-Yeon's boyfriend
- Hong Suk-Youn as Lee Soo-Yeon's father